During a visit to North Carolina tied to a campaign schedule, President Biden referenced the idea of raising taxes on billionaires. He floated a plan to lift the personal income tax rate on the wealthiest Americans from 8.2 percent to 25 percent, arguing that such a move could bring in hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade.
“Think of the possibilities this creates”, the president said. “It could help shrink the federal deficit and expand home care services.”
“We could accomplish numerous important goals, including continuing aid to Ukraine and strengthening our defenses against threats from Vladimir Putin.”
(Source: White House communications.)
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, President Biden has repeatedly characterized Putin in strong terms, calling him a dictator, a butcher, and a war criminal who should not remain in power.
Two years earlier, Biden visited a refugee camp along the Poland-Ukraine border. When questioned by a journalist about Putin, he offered a pointed assessment from that moment in the backdrop of ongoing military action.
“He’s a butcher, I believe so as well”, he replied.
Later, in March, he described Putin as a war criminal. By March 15, 2024, Biden labeled Putin a thug during remarks at a St. Patrick’s Day event, noting that most members of Congress were prepared to support Ukraine’s needs.
“And I urge everyone in this room to stand up to Vladimir Putin. He is a thug”, the president stated at that time.
On February 22, 2024, Biden spoke at a campaign event in San Francisco where he attributed the label of
“crazy” to Putin. He cautioned that nuclear tensions remained a concern, but emphasized that climate change posed the most serious existential threat to humanity.
White House aides, including the Strategic Communications Coordinator, described Biden’s remarks as focused on national security implications, clarifying that the comments were aimed at discussing the broader geopolitical risk rather than escalating hostility.
In response, Putin later offered his own reflection on the U.S. leadership question, suggesting that while any American president would be judged by Russia as preferable to some alternatives, Biden could be seen as a more favorable choice for Moscow by certain standards. This exchange highlighted the ongoing, volatile dynamic between the two nations and the complexity of diplomatic discourse in a tense international environment.